Hip-hop show attracts all types, from Oregon backpackers to posers
By: Patrick Chavis

It was around midnight. The room was packed, and the crowd became quiet as a stocky, bearded man leaned over the audience.

He grabbed an American flag that had corporate symbols where the blue with white stars should be.

He wore the flag like a cape and smiled at the audience; the reaction of the hip-hop fans in attendance conveyed they understood his message.

The gates were scheduled to open by 2 p.m. but the crowd arrived earlier.

There weren't any San Bernardino winds, and the air was hot and dry.

Fans came from all over, ranging from L.A. to hitchhikers from Oregon with a lot of armpit hair.

Backpackers, hip-hop fanatics and posers filled the lines as they waited for the doors to open.

The backpacks were only big enough to a hold a bottle of water as each was decorated with different imprints of tagging.

"They're posers," Miguel Martinez said. "They're too flashy, the people who are really into hip-hop you don't notice."

Martinez came to see his favorite act, the "Visionaries," an L.A. based hip-hop group known for their diverse crew and positive message.

"There's nothing like a "Visionary" show. I remember my life before I went to a Visionary show and then after," a fan, Michelle Fiore said.

Fiore came from San Diego to see them in action.

When the line opened, the crowd dashed into the park of the former airline hanger.

The hanger was dim and the groups had already started to perform.

Within a few seconds after walking in the thick scent of marijuana filled the air.

At 3 p.m., B-Dolan was the first to perform represented by the Sage Francis' label Strange Famous.

The crowd was still rather small, but that didn't stop B-Dolan from speaking his mind.

The people seemed to enjoy the set and their special treat for coming early to the show: Brooklyn rapper Sage Francis.

Francis took to the stage early in the afternoon and performed a duet while B-Dolan backed him up, hyping the song with the microphone.

As the day progressed, the majority of the crowd wandered into the festival around 6 p.m., while the early arrivals hung out at the shops looking through $5 dollar bin T-shirts and waiting for the bands they came to see.

The crowd never came to a unanimous decision and some took to P.O.S.'s rock side, while others heard only the hip-hop.

Kool Keith and Boot Camp Click were next.

They brought old school hip-hop to the program but based on crowd reactions, their performance was lukewarm.

The Visionaries had a lot to say before their show about the state of America and the 2008 presidential election.

This issue is the main focus of one of their new songs, "We're the ones we've been waiting for," based off of a speech given by Barrack Obama.

During one of the Visionaries songs, a person in the audience passed out and was pulled from a mob of people in the middle.

Attendees seemed worried for a few seconds but then their focus shifted back to the stage.

At the end of the Visionaries set the hanger was filled, Jedi Mind Tricks, Living Legends, Hieroglyphics, Dilated Peoples and North Carolina's own Little Brother followed the performance.

From that point on no amateur antics would satisfy the growing crowd.

These performers had paid their dues through independent music.

Now their dues seemed to pay off.

With few aware that he had performed earlier in the day, Francis ended the show with a poem.

Along with beats by DJ Scratchbastard, Francis recited his lines, stomped and spit.

The crowd seemed tired but not anxious to end the night.

He performed one of the most energetic shows of the night, spouting lyrics about death, the hip-hop industry and life.

The piece he called the "Wikipedia of hip-hop," about his love for music spun on wax, the negative influence of pop on the blues and the decline of hip-hop - "Dr. Dre used to say that smoking weed wasn't cool and now he's selling alcohol on commercials."

Fiore was right.

Nights like this don't happen often.

Fri Mar 28, 2008 2:43 pm

spike2057

Joined: 24 Jul 2005
Posts: 97

That was amazing.

Fri Mar 28, 2008 2:54 pm

phataccino

Joined: 10 Jan 2004
Posts: 4778

Wait...so that was written for an actual website, and not just some kid's blog or something?

Fri Mar 28, 2008 2:59 pm

Sage FrancisSelf Fighteous

Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 21671

right. haha

Music journalism is amazing.

Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:00 pm

BandiniWIZARD APPRENTICE

Joined: 01 Jul 2002
Posts: 4669
Location: jerk city

college newspaper I think. reads like its the first thing he's written. i can imagine his teacher/editor telling him to break up his ideas. i guess he didnt know when to stop swinging the hammer.

Last edited by Bandini on Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:04 pm; edited 2 times in total

Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:04 pm

CriticalTheory_Breakfast

Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 1412
Location: NYC/Rochester

At least you're finally getting recognized as a Brooklyn rapper, after all these years. How's it feel?

Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:04 pm

malpracticepost haste

Joined: 09 Sep 2007
Posts: 1706
Location: ohio

wtf

i had other stuff typed first, but i think "wtf" will suffice.
also a "haha".

Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:04 pm

WrathChild

Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Posts: 953
Location: Reno eNVy

Good to see the posers made it out.

Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:23 pm

z-spot22

Joined: 19 Dec 2003
Posts: 3101
Location: chicago

man, there is NOBODY who hypens the song with the microphone like Sage.....i remember my life before.........and then after.....

Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:44 pm

Jesus Frank

Joined: 12 Jul 2002
Posts: 2319
Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Re: A kind of ridiculous review of Paid Dues. Very funny lin

Sage Francis wrote: The crowd seemed like they couldn't decide to sci-fer.

I was ready to do raps but didn't know should I start?

Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:52 pm

mizterie

Joined: 12 Mar 2004
Posts: 4598
Location: the ether

this is the first 4th grade essay i've read about hip-hop. crazy.

Fri Mar 28, 2008 4:01 pm

PHIL LACIO AKA P DAWGthe godfather of troll

Joined: 18 Oct 2002
Posts: 4825

it's always a treat when posers make it out to shows

Fri Mar 28, 2008 4:21 pm

z-spot22

Joined: 19 Dec 2003
Posts: 3101
Location: chicago

mizterie wrote: this is the first 4th grade essay i've read about hip-hop. crazy.